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No. 607,828. Patented July 26, I898. v

F. BURGER & H. M. WILLIAMS.

FUEL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FURNACES.

(Application filed Jan. 15, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-8heet l.

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No. 607,828. Patented July 26, I898. F. BURGER & m. WILLIAMS. FUEL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FURNACES (Application mm Jan. 15, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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NITED I STATES j ATENT rrrcn.

FRANZ BURGER AND HENRY M. IVILLIAMS, OF FORT \VAYNE, INDIANA; SAID BURGER ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAID WILLIAMS.

FUEL-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FURNACES.

STPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,828, dated July 26, 1898.

Application filed January 15,1898- 'SB iEL NO- 666,794- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, FRANZ BURGER and HENRY M. WILLIAMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Fort IVayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Feeding Mechanism for Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fuel-feeding apparatus for furnaces, adapted more particularly for use in connection with locomotive-boiler furnaces; and it is an object of the invention to provide simple and effective means whereby fuel may be conveyed'from the tender of.

the locomotive and fed upon the grate-bars of the furnace thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for operating the feeding mechanism either by hand or from some moving part of the engine, and, finally, the invention has for its object to provide means whereby the feeding mechanism may be regulated to deliver a greater orless quantity of fuel to the furnace in a given time.

IVith these objects in view the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a vertical sec.

tional view of a portion of a locomotive and its tender with an apparatus embodying the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 isa transverse sectional view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A designates a locomotive-boiler, B the furnace thereof, and O the locomotivetender, all of which may be of ordinary con- Extending vertically below the grate and communicating with the interior of the furnace-chamber through a central opening formed in the grate is a supply-pipe 2, communicating at its lower end with one end of a horizontal feed-chamber 3, extending to one side of the locomotive, and this chamber in turn communicates with a second supply-pipe 4, leading from a point within or adjacent to the tender 0 and provided at its receiving end with a hopper 5. This pipe 4, except at its receiving end, is arranged below the floor of the locomotive and at one side thereof, so as not to interfere wit-h the movements of the engineer Within the engine.

IVithin the feed-chamber 3 is the fuel-feeding mechanism, comprising, as shown, two separated parallel toothed rollers 6 6, extending transversely across the chamber, near opposite ends thereof, and journaled in the sides of the said chamber. Extendin g around the rollers 6 is a continuous feed belt or chain 7, which substantially conforms in width to the said rollers and to the feed-chamber, and carried upon said belt in transverse rows are separated fingers 8, which project from the belt a sufficient distance to bring their ends nearly into contact with the bottom of the feed-chamber and with the side wall of the pipe 2 which is the farthest from the inner roller (i Suitable means is provided for'drivin g the feed-rollers and feed-belt from a moving part of the engine, and while this means may be variously constructed and arranged that shown is effective and simple'and is preferred on this account. The shaft of the roller 6 projects beyond one side of the feed-chamber 3 and has mounted thereon a worm-gear 9, intermeshing with which is a worm l0, supported to rotate in bearings of the frame. Arranged upon the worm-shaft, near one end thereof, is a ratchet-wheel 12, with which engages a pawl 13, carried upon a lever 14. This lever is pivoted at one end upon the worm-shaft, and its opposite end extends'into close proximity to an axle 15 of the engine and is provided with a slot 16. Upon the axle 15 is an eccentric 17, surrounding which is the usual strap 18, to a lug or projection of which is pivotally connected one end of a link 19, which link, near its opposite end, is pro vided with a pin 20, extending through the slot 16 of the lever-.14 and adapted to be moved longitudinally therein to vary the throw of the lever. Any convenient means may be employed for shifting the pin 20 within the slot 10, that shown comprising a rod 21, pivotally connected to the end of. the link 19. This rod is supported to be rcciprocated in a guide of the frame, and at its end it is pivoted to one end of a hand-lever 22, which is in turn pivoted intermediate its ends and eX- tends to a point where it maybe conveniently grasped by the engineer.

From the above description it will be obvious that when the locomotive is running and coal'is fed into the supply-pipe 4 it passes 'therethrough into the receiving end of the feed-chamber 3, through which it is conveyed by the fingers S of the traveling feed-belt '7 to the vertical supply-pipe 2, the fuel within this latter being lifted therethrough and emptied upon the furnace grate by the fuel which foltends to roll over that already upon the grate toward the lower end and sides thereof, thus not only preventing the mouth of the supplyopening from becoming clogged up, but at the same time effecting a uniform distribution of the fuel over the fire-bed.

In order that fuel may not be conveyed from the supply-pipe 2 to the receiving end of the feed-chamber, a grating or slotted plate 24 is arranged at the intersection of the feedchamber and supply-pipe 2, the said plate depending from the upper wall of the feed-cha1n ber and extending substantially in contact with the feed-belt, the slots or openings of said plate being of such width and so spaced as to permit the feed-fingers 8 to pass therethrough, but prevent any of the fuel from being carried therewith.

When the locomotive-engine is at a standstill, it is of course impossible to operate the feedin g mechanism from the axle thereof, and as it is necessary that fuel be fed to the furnace to keep up steam suitable hand-operated devices are provided for actuating the feed mechanism. Thus, as shown, a rod or bar 19, mounted to reciprocate in guides of the frame, extends in close proximity to the ratchet-wheel 12, and upon said bar is carried a pivoted pawl 26, adapted to engageand turn the said Wheel when the bar is moved in one direction and to move freely over the teeth thereof when the bar is moved in the opposite direction. As a convenient means of recip rocatin g said bar a lever 25 is provided, which extends from a point within easy reach of the engineer and is pivoted intermediate its ends to the frame and at its lower end to one end of the bar. From this it will be seen that by reciprocating the said lever 20 the bar 19 is also reciprocated, causing its pawl to rotate the ratchet-wheel12 and through the intermediate devices actuate the feeding mechanism.

WVithout limiting ourselves to the precise construction and arrangement of the parts shown and described, since various changes may be made in such construction without departing from the spirit or scope of our in- *vention What we claim is-- 1. The combination of a locomotive, its furwithin said pipe, and devices operated from a moving part of the engine for actuating the feeding mechanism, substantially as described.

. 2. The combination with a locomotive and its furnace, of a fuel-supply pipe communicating with the interior of the furnace, feeding mechanism for conveying the fuel through said pipe, adjustable devices operated from a moving part of the engine for actuating the feeding mechanism, and means foradjusting said devices for ivarying the action of said feeding mechanism, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a f-urnace,of a fuel supply pipe communicating with the interior thereof, a continuous feed-belt within said pipe provided with fingers, means for driving said belt, and a slotted guard-plate extending from a wall of the pipe through the slots of which the feed-fingers pass, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a locomotive-engine and its furnace having an inclined grate with an opening,of a vertical fuel-supply pipe leading to said opening, feeding mechanism for conveying fuel through said pipe, and means for driving said feeding mechanism from a moving part of the engine, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ BURGER. HENRY M. VILLTAMS.

\Vitnesse's:

GEO. K. TORRENCE, J. BURGER. 

